I have created an artist's palatte shaped garden using my front lawn. Last year it worked really well with 5 cut out rings (red, yellow, purple, blue & White) each filled with a small circle of plants filled with a respective colour. With the cold winter most plants are dead. I am thinking of replacing them with one large coloured plant in each ring. Size to grow no more than 2 foot wide & 1 foot high. My question: which plants should I use for each colour to provide the desired colourful effect for the majority (if not all) of the year? Scott
Hello Scott and a belated welcome to GC. Your artist's palette sounds delightful and certainly very unique and creative ... there must be a true artist lurking there ... I'm afraid I can't really assist you because of my location but I'm sure several of the knowledgeable people here will come along and gladly offer you some advice. It would be nice to see some pictures. Enjoy the forum.
Hello Scott and welcome. Dwarf bedding dahlias would conform to your size and come in red, yellow and white. They will flower from July until the first frost. Ground cover roses would also fit the bill in the same colours. Purple and blue - well cranesbills and campanulas come in these colours and flower over a long period. Lobelia will flower all summer but might not make the height. I'll see what else I can think of. I'm sure you'll get suggestions from others.
Height isn't a huge issue. It's brilliant bright colour for the longest period to give the effect for as long as possible. Also not bedding plants that'd need replaced. Want to plant something that needs pruned each year but is basically a splodge of yellow etc on my palatte. Could use evergreens with yellow (ish) or red leaves?? Scott
How about more than one plant in each 'space', so that when one finishes flowering, the other one can take over? You'd also be combine different heights for a more dramatic and bold effect.
I've already got 5 circles cut out.. Too late! I was doing the different heights thing this year.. But it wasn't a "bold" and obvious enough colour statement. Hence thought of having one plant of each colour (red,yellow,White,blue,purple) it would be more obvious... Scott
White is not a colour, it`s a shade, a mix of yellow and blue. Purple is a secondary colour, a mix of blue and red. So not the artists palette.
Hi, Scott, what a wonderful idea for a flowerbed! For Scotland here are some absolutely winterhardy plants, that last all year long, their foliage remains evergreen (or yellow, red and white, for that matter :D ), they never failed me: For whites: Euonymus fortunei 'Harlequin' or the basic lamb's ear, especially in winter For yellows: Chamaecyparis 'Gold Mop' or Carex 'Evergold', even Hakonechloa m. 'Aureola' (not really for winter interest in Z6) For purples: Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea' or simply Heuchera 'Palace Purple' For blues: Salvia 'Purpurascens', Juniperus 'Blue Carpet', Cedrus deodara 'Feelin'Blue' (both are spreaders) For reds: Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron', although this one dies down to the ground in winter, Carex 'Red Rooster' (brownish-reddish, nothing near Lobelia 'Queen Victoria', but at least it lasts all year long...)
Dai, white is not a spectrum colour but reflects light ... and it IS classified as a 'colour' as is black which does not reflect light. I have to point out that yellow and blue mixed together produces the colour GREEN. I agree purple is secondary produced by mixing blue and red, as I am doing on my current painting ... on a black background. These colours are certainly on my artist's palette ... and would be in my garden palette also.
Many thanks Agatha & Victoria.. Didn't intend on causing such a debate. Indeed, White if anything ismore of a colour than any other as it is all colours together. Black is technically a lack of colour.. Nonetheless, the "colours", as we shall refer to them for arguments sake, were chosen by me & the art teacher at thr local secondary. It was really his idea for the garden.. My idea was too "clinical" in his words.. A clash of our professions. I did have 3 rose plants with bush heads simulating 3 paint brushes.. However, black spot taken hold & the yellow rose looks x big worse for where despite spraying them through last season... Scott
I think it is a wonderful idea, and whether it conforms to what is actually primary or not is irrelevent. An artist's palette to me evokes colours..... full stop. I paint in water colours and yes I know there is debate as to what white and black etc should be referred as, but come on...... let's not be picky , lets encourage. Go for it sjam! Could you post pictures for us all to see?
Will get pictures.. It really needs the colours.. Otherwise it looks like pac man... Not so attractive lol. Although some may find this more desirable... Scott
Dahlias not ideal as would have to redo each year.. Presumably says the "apprentice"? Been looking through agathas list and you are defibately going along the right lines.. Any more ideas would be much appreciated. Red, yellow, White, purple & blue... Are the desired "colours"! Scott
